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Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, has been confirmed as a keynote speaker at South Sudan Oil & Power (SSOP) 2026, taking place November 24–25 in Juba. His participation comes as South Sudan deepens petroleum and infrastructure ties with regional neighbors, bringing the country’s energy investment agenda into a broader discussion around regional trade, market access and economic integration.
Mene’s participation follows his July 2026 visit to Juba, during which he engaged with government and private-sector stakeholders on South Sudan’s pathway toward AfCFTA ratification and the opportunities presented by the continental market. The country signed the AfCFTA agreement in 2018. During the visit, South Sudanese authorities highlighted the role of the platform in strengthening private-sector participation, supporting SME growth and advancing broader trade and regional ties.
For South Sudan, AfCFTA membership stands to advance regional integration across an energy sector that is inherently dependent on cross-border trade and infrastructure. As a landlocked oil producer, the country relies on pipelines through Sudan to move crude to international markets, while neighboring countries provide important routes for petroleum imports, equipment, services and logistics.
Recent disruptions have highlighted the commercial risks associated with this dependence. Damage to export infrastructure in Sudan disrupted South Sudanese crude flows in 2024, while the government has sought to strengthen complementary regional supply routes. In 2025, South Sudan and Kenya established a framework for petroleum-product imports through the Port of Mombasa and Northern Corridor, including access to pipeline and storage infrastructure.
AfCFTA membership would add a trade and investment dimension to these physical regional connections. Ratification would enable qualifying South Sudanese businesses to trade under the Agreement’s preferential framework, potentially reducing barriers to the movement of goods and services required by the energy industry while improving access to markets across the continent.
This regional integration agenda provides a strong backdrop to SSOP 2026. South Sudan is targeting an increase in oil production from approximately 170,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 230,000 bpd in the short term and 450,000 bpd over the longer term. Reaching these targets will require investment not only in exploration and mature-field redevelopment, but also in the infrastructure, services and regional commercial relationships needed to support higher production and connect projects with markets.
Mene’s participation will bring this continental trade and investment perspective to SSOP 2026. Held under the theme “Resource Renaissance – Energy-Fueled Growth for a New Generation,” the conference will connect government, operators, investors, financiers and service companies as South Sudan seeks to translate energy investment into wider industrial and economic growth.
Now in its seventh edition, SSOP has a proven track record of converting high-level engagement into actionable commercial and cross-border partnerships. The event has facilitated landmark agreements spanning exploration, production and infrastructure cooperation with regional partners such as Djibouti and South Africa.
To register for South Sudan Oil & Power 2026 in Juba on November 24–25, visit: https://southsudanoilpower.com/